Thursar
Thursar Lore The product of the tragic union between Risar and Human, the hybrid Thursar are the offspring of crimes committed in the wake of battle. Mothers of both races frequently abandon their bastard children to be raised in squalor and exploited as slaves. Because the prejudices of society deprive them of honorable means of survival, many Thursar are forced to turn to violence. These circumstances only serve to reinforce society's view of them as brutish criminals. A few Thursar have forsaken the civilized world and joined together, forming passive communities in an attempt to avoid the torments of suspicion and discrimination. The Thursar possess traits that exceed both of their races of origin. From the Risar, they inherit strength and fortitude which are enhanced by Human intelligence. Their naturally quick healing enables them to survive their youth and hone their reflexes and cunning to a fearsome level. Thieves, traitors, beasts. The fear of the half orcs has brought them many undesirable names. As sons and daughters of the unspeakable crimes committed in the wake of a war, the half orcs' life stories are often stained by tragedies. The majority of the half orcs are doomed to roam aimlessly in a world where the full blood orcs look upon them as weaklings and the civilised world despise them as witless barbarians and fear their orcish heritage. However, few surpass them in strength and stamina, on the battlefield or in the arena, and the non-human heritage in their blood and mind make even veteran soldiers cautious. On most half orcs markings will appear on different parts of the body. On full blood orcs these markings are related to age and social status, but on half orcs this function is lost. Half orcs have thicker hair than humans but have in general less body hair. Their eyes are often completely dark yellow, dark brown or black, it is extremely rare to see a half orc with a bright human-like iris. They have good vision even in faint light although they can't see in total darkness, but this comes at the expense of a slightly poorer colour vision. Half orcs also have a good sense of hearing compared to humans, but they have difficulty hearing higher frequencies. '''Half orcs in the world''' The half orcs live difficult and hard lives in the human civilisation, even though it is the only community who at least partly accept their existence. Some perform tough and demanding labour as slaves or workers, others fight for money in the arenas or mercenary armies. Many make their living by theft, assassinations or fencing and are constantly sought after by the long arm of the law. Most humans are prejudiced against half orcs and they are often more severally punished in court than humans are. Only a handful half orcs have gained fame and glory in the books of history, and these individuals have been gladiators, commanders of mercenary armies or master tutors at training camps. The half orcs regard the world with the same scepticism they themselves are met with; by gaining wisdom from their past experiences they become vigilant and suspicious of the world but accept their fate with their half orcish pragmatic nature. They never or seldom complain since this is seen as a sign of weakness, they regard drawn out discussions and thoughtfulness as a lack of the capacity to act. These characteristics of course contribute to the stereotypes of half orcs being stupid and taken advantage of, but as it is against their own nature to approach the situation differently they let the matter rest. If the relationship between humans and half orcs is strained then the bond between full blood orcs and half orcs is nonexistent. The half orcs fear and avoid the orcs, who place them on the same level as humans, or worse. On the outskirts of the larger human settlements it is possible to find smaller half orc villages such as Kranesh outside of Tindrem and Obrig on the plains of Myrland. In these villages, other half breeds, outcasts, outlaws and freethinkers are accepted but the order is kept to avoid any conflict with the rest of civilisation. These half orc villages are often ruled by moguls and are seen as barbaric by the larger cities. The villages are rather autonomous but deal in fish, wood, stone and agricultural products. The half orcs lack their own culture, traditions and craftsmanship, they are therefore forced to adapt and be shaped by the world around them. The largest half orc settlement is Gaul'kor in close proximity to Herabalter. Gaul'kor is a somewhat chaotic place which besides being home to fencers, thieves and bandits, also have a small full blood orc population. Those half orcs who are unable to adapt to civilisation due to their orcish nature or upbringing end up in Gaul'kor, together with all sorts of scum. More civilized half orcs look down on the city as it only contributes to their already torn reputation. Skills and Attributes